" Farland was devoted to playing his own arrangements of classical music on the banjo, using lots of tremolo. His career took off in 1893 when SS Stewart decided to promote him heavily in both concerts and the pages of the Stewart Journal, as…"
Classic-Banjo
A Site Dedicated to all enthusiasts of Classic Style Banjo
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Shawn McSweeny
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Shawn McSweeny's Discussions
Canadian Fiddle Tunes for Banjo
4 Replies
To celebrate Canada’s 159th birthday, here are few fiddle tunes from the Canadian repertoire, arranged for banjo. Canadian fiddle music has mainly French and British Isle roots but developed its own…Continue
Started this discussion. Last reply by Shawn McSweeny Jul 1.
Fred Van Eps Plays "Polly"
2 Replies
A couple of days past his 147th birthday, here's Van Eps playing another…Continue
Started this discussion. Last reply by Shawn McSweeny Jan 2.
Alex Magee Plays `Canadian Capers`
31 Replies
To help celebrate Canada's 158th birthday today, Alex Magee plays his…Continue
Started this discussion. Last reply by Shawn McSweeny Jul 12, 2025.
Sid Turner Plays 'Chansonade'
4 Replies
'Chansonade?' Well, not really. That's the title his old friend Tarant…Continue
Started this discussion. Last reply by thereallyniceman Jun 23, 2025.
Shawn McSweeny's Page
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"Most of the early banjo recordings were sponsored by tin pan alley music publishers as promotion for their sheet music. Played with force and an even touch, the banjo recorded well under the primitive recording tech of the day. Ossman had the…"
"Here are six more tunes :
Big John McNeil : A piece by Scottish composer Peter Milne (1824-1908), transposed from A to C. To play with a fiddler in A, you can tune down 3 semi tones to the old A tuning and growl away.
Caribou Reel : …"
"Hi Marc. Glad you enjoyed these. To give you more to choose from, I have another six prepared, which I'll post later.
Thanks Jody. And Happy Birthday USA , in advance!"
"Excellent! And Happy Birthday, Canada. "
"Interesting, Shawn! As I play (clawhammer) in a monthly jam here, fiddle tunes are the bulk of my repertory. We often get visitors from Canada and I've thought to learn a few common tunes.
Generally, I will play 1:1 on the Tenor banjo and a…"
Canadian Fiddle Tunes for Banjo
To celebrate Canada’s 159th birthday, here are few fiddle tunes from the Canadian repertoire, arranged for banjo. Canadian fiddle music has mainly French and British Isle roots but developed its own distinct features. There are several regional styles, including: Cape Breton : Nova Scotia fiddling has lively rhythms adhering closely to Scottish musical traditions. Down East : New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island fiddling is of 18thc. British Isle origin, and has been greatly influenced in the…See More
"Most of the following is paraphrased from "The Banjo On Record".
Rex Schepp was born Feb. 17 1897, in Greene Co. Indiana. He took up the banjo at the age of 7.
Shortly after the death of Vess L. Ossman Sr. in Dec. 1923, this virtuoso…"
"Here's the Oakley recording. To add some lacking oomph he gradually accelerates the tempo.
Yacht_Club_March_Oakley.mp3
The late 1890's Witmark catalogue includes Ossman's published "Yacht Club" banjo arrangement. It is the…"
"Ossman recorded "Yacht Club March" for Edison Bell in London, May,1900 (cyl 7056), presumably the same piece as above.
Oakley recorded "Yacht Club March" for Gramophone, March 12, 1903 and for Edison Bell Dec. 10,…"
"Happy New Year Ian. FVE sounds great on this piece; glad to share a recording that is new to many listeners."
"Hi Shawn,
Happy New Year and thanks so much to FVE playing for us. I love his bright and vibrant playing and he has always been my favourite! What a great tune and arrangement this is."
Fred Van Eps Plays "Polly"
A couple of days past his 147th birthday, here's Van Eps playing another novelty piece. It was composed by John Stepan Zamecnik, (b. Cleveland, OH, 1872), an American composer and conductor, best remembered for the "photoplay music" he composed for use by pianists, organists, and orchestras during silent films. Zamecnik studied at the Prague Conservatory of Music under…See More
"Thanks Ian . . . If only the player window could also improve the recording quality."
"Somerset_March%20_J_P_Cunninghame.mp3
Marmie_Rag_J_P_Cunninghame.mp3
All three should be at or near score pitch and tempo. "
"Perhaps Ian (the Really Nice Ian) will create a little player window for the recording."
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Comment Wall (2 comments)
- At 2:50pm on February 19, 2014, thereallyniceman gave Shawn McSweeny a gift…
- I would like to send Shawn all my thanks for the "LOAD" of work he has done and information and photos he has provided for the recent site upgrade. So everyone, let's give a BIG THANK YOU to Shawn!
- At 4:39 on January 21, 2016,
Peter LaBau said…
Hi Shawn- sorry to be slow to respond, I only check in here once in a while, all the while knowing I need to do it more frequently! Thanks so much for your note, and it's so nice to know that something I did affected you in a such a positive way. In answer to your question- yes, I have the banjo Doug did for me all those years ago- in fact, he did the banjo twice for me. Th original inlay patterns he did on the fingerboard had to be thrown away- the fret scale was off, and it never played in tune. As beautiful as it was, I had to replace the fingerboard, and in so doing I went from a flat board to a radiused one, which is what I have on all my instruments now. The flat inlays couldn't be moved over, so for the longest time, I had just the pear bars that descended from the nut, and the rest of the board was just blank. Two years ago, I sent the banjo neck back to Doug to have him add bars up at the top of the board, and add in some position markers in between. Here's what it looks like now:
The pot is a 1910's Tubaphone- 11-1/2" diameter, and the neck is a 28" scale. I have another pot like this that I'm having Kevin Enoch make a new neck for- I'll use that one for raised "D" bass- I use two banjos when I perform- I find that retuning just one instrument never works out real well- the bass string keeps changing after changing pitches. You're Canandian, right? Toronto? It would be fun to meet up one day- I'll hope that might happen. All the best to you- Peter
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